Now see here Mr. Hevia, first you diminish Jamy by claiming him as your etiquette instructor and now you sully Patrick Page and Vernet by discussing "knowing" with a thumb tip? Surely how one "fools themselves" in the privacy of their own home is not the best of topics for public exposure.

Now see here Mr. Hevia, first you diminish Jamy by claiming him as your etiquette instructor and now you sully Patrick Page and Vernet by discussing "knowing" with a thumb tip? Surely how one "fools themselves" in the privacy of their own home is not the best of topics for public exposure.

Appeals to authority, first Jamy then Patrick Page and now Shakespeare might lead the astute reader to wonder if you need a bigger thumbtip or perhaps if your d'lite needs a new battery.

At least you continue to amuse.

Those who fail to understand the Somerset Maugham story "Mr. Know All" are not so likely equipped to understand audience feedback. And that is a genuine pearl, at least according to a well known swine.

Kindly demonstrate some of the prerequisites for "etiquette" and leave some doubt as the extent of your foolishness. Or are you going to continue to demonstrate what you learned from Jamy?

If you were going to be congruent you'd at least be providing copies of the essay in question. But that would be another of your unfounded presuppositions exposed, that you would take responsibility for what you presume to impose upon others.

I don't have access to #15 of Antimony. I do have the Shattering Illusions book though.

Is the essay you're referring to in there or is it only in the new collection of his essays?
I'd like to read it.

Jon,

Let's read the essay and then we can see what's so insightful about it. Possibly, something could be learned. You may not ascribe the import Mr. Hevia does. You'll only know that if you read it. I enjoyed the "Shattering Illusions" tome. I don't think every magician needs to read it. I can think of quite a few that should read it, but wouldn't understand that Jamy is talking about them.

Kent

Last edited by Kent Gunn on 07/26/11 01:24 PM, edited 0 times in total.
Reason:question marks go at the end of a question, even rhetorical ones, don't they?

Tell you what Kent, send me your copy of the item. If I find it of merit I will buy you a new one. If not you can get yours back with my notes written into it - likely similar to what "Andy" did to a certain mentalist's work that he sent me some time ago.

call it a win/win or a lose/lose as you will

J

PS Imagine suggesting all the rabbits read Carroll's Alice - and them wondering why it's all about a naive young woman who can't bother to learn how the world works and doesn't even ask where the rabbit is expected and why it's important.

The article in Antimony #15 is not included in Shattering Illusions or Devious Standards.

Jamy's article concerns the way magicians sometimes act towards other magicians--during their performances, when discussing their proprietary material, and when selected as spectators. He cites multiple specific examples of poor behavios and adds contributions by 5 young, but experienced, performers on the topic. He closes with several common sense proposals of his own to address the issue.

I think the essay is well worth reading--many will wince in sympathy with some of the horror stories, others may be even more uncomfortable if they recognize themselves in one of the anecdotes.

Certainly many of those who choose to read the essay probably don't need to--while some who do not, might in fact benefit (if they took it's lessons to heart). It is not a universal panacea for the issues discussed--no mere essay could ever be that.

Nevertheless, I think, like the vast majority of Jamy's writings, it is well-written, intelligent, and thought-provoking.

It's also only one of the things in Antinomy #15 that makes it worth purchasing, IMHO.

Pretty sure Leonard of the purportedly "original" name, for whatever that's worth, can't quite articulate who Gertrude is, or certainly who Fortinbras is/are. But he is steadfast in his conviction, like our President G.W. Bush, who never did call his electorate "merkins."

Also, a quick Google search yields this result: "2 people named Leonard Hevia in Florida | WhitePages." Lo siento, Leonard; though I don't quite follow where the challenge to prove your name not unique arose from.

EHO--
For an individual with a supposedly Harvard education...you certainly are wasting your time. You are without a doubt an unfortunate waste of tuition money. I can only imagine the benefactors who paid your way through Harvard shaking their heads in disbelief.

No, that would be mrgoat. (Spelling it "merkans" would alleviate some of the misunderstandings about pubic wigs, BTW)

Actually, it was several people. Unfortunately, a link to an external site listed an erroneous definition saying it was derogatory (it's not) and that there was a connection to the wig thing (there's not).

Also, GWB never called anyone a Merkan, he called than American, but to anyone over here, that's what it sounded like.

I know it's not derogatory, because I used the phrase myself before I had heard it used elsewhere (I'm not claiming originality, just independent invention) and I made no connection to the wigs, nor was it used in a derogatory fashion.

I suspect the great majority of uses, written and spoken, to which "merkin" is put are derogatory and/or jocular; and current pudendal hirsute fashions being what they are, actual merkins rarely find genuine, non-ironic use. And there is something pretty degrading about being reduced to using a pubic wig.

Had no idea; but it makes sense in that line of work that it could add some real flair. and perhaps I'm behind the times on bald nether-regions being all the rage.

Your range of on-point references is amazing (and, to veer ridiculously on- or off-point, depending on your perspective, I've just been looking at your early coin and card books, and they are stunningly good. I'm trying to decide what my 3-for-2 book purchase will be, and I think I'll have to make it 6-for 4. The compiled Almanac is one of the top-10 all-time great magic collections.)

Thanks for your kind words, and I can assure you that I've never worn a merkin. However I believe that David Roth could add an entirely new perspective to his act by performing "The Portable Hole" with a merkin instead of a piece of felt.